Errol Arthur Eric&nbspSpence

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Full Name

Errol Arthur Eric Spence

Background

Background From Taranaki Daily News story July 18th 2009 Former school bus driver Errol Arthur Eric Spence has been jailed on historical sex charges. Spence, 65, of Inglewood , appeared in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday where he admitted four charges of indecent assault of a female aged under 12 and a further four charges of indecent assault of a girl aged between 12 and 16.

It is the second time in a year that Spence has been jailed for sexual offending after he was found guilty by a jury in September of sexually grooming a 13-year-old girl. He received a 12-month jail sentence on that occasion. The details of the historical offending have been suppressed, apart from the fact the charges related to incidents between 1972 and 1984. Crown prosecutor Tim Walls told the court that Spence's offending only came to light after the complainant saw the defendant's court case from last year covered in the Taranaki Daily News.

He told Judge Allan Roberts that just because the offending was historical, did not make it any less serious. Defence counsel Kylie Pascoe urged the judge to take into account when sentencing that Spence had pleaded guilty to save the complainant the trauma of a trial. In sentencing Spence to two and-a-half years' jail, Judge Roberts said he regarded his remorse as genuine.

From Taranaki Daily News story 10th Sept 2008 School bus driver Errol Arthur Eric Spence has been found guilty of meeting a 13-year-old girl after he had sexually groomed her. A jury took less than two hours to return its verdict in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday.

Spence, 64, of Inglewood, showed little emotion after the verdict, apart from raising an eyebrow in a look of surprise. He now faces up to seven years' jail when he is sentenced on October 15. Spence had denied striking up a relationship with the girl while she was a passenger on his school bus route, before propositioning the teenager at a New Plymouth school in November last year. The verdict followed evidence yesterday by four defence witnesses in the case.

Tranzit Coach Lines operations manager Michelle Durdle, of Stratford, said all 50 bus drivers the company employed were vetted by police before they were given the licence endorsement to carry passengers. She said there had never been any complaints about Spence, whom she regarded as a "real English gentleman" who was always honest with her. Questioned by Crown prosecutor Cherie Clarke, Mrs Durdle conceded that it would be totally inappropriate for a 63-year-old to be having a conversation or writing questions to a 13-year-old girl about relationships and love.

Patricia Clarkson, an Inglewood school teacher, said Spence had told her about the charge he was facing on the day he was arrested. "He was shocked and stunned, as I was too," she said.

Earlier, Detective Louise Prendergast ended the prosecution case by outlining what happened during a search of Spence's home. A note was given to police by Spence during the search which was talked about by the complainant during her evidence on Monday. There were two questions on the note: Do you think you could love me and would you live with me if you were able to? The complainant had said in evidence that Spence made her write yes to the questions on the card. Under cross-examination, Mrs Predergast said Spence had no previous criminal convictions.

In closing, Ms Clarke said the most important part about the case was what was going on in Spence's mind at the time he met the complainant. "The Crown clearly says that he had sexual intent and motive," she said. Ms Pascoe said Spence was going through every innocent man's worst nightmare which could see him labelled a sexual predator and offender. She urged the jury not to judge her client on how they would have acted and cautioned them that a lot of the evidence against Spence could have been taken out of context. "Sadly, we live in a world where you can no longer make random acts of kindness," she said. Judge Allan Roberts granted Spence bail until sentencing, providing he surrendered his passport.

Alias

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Date of Birth

Born 1944

Offences

Indecent assault of a Taranaki girl aged under 12 (x4) and indecent assault of her when she was aged between 12 and 16 (x4). Offending occurred from 1972 to 1984 Propositioned a 13 year old Inglewood girl in 2008